What Enzo Fernandez did to Aleksandar Mitrovic to begin justifying Chelsea’s £106.7 million investment
The process of bringing Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea took a long time, extending from December until close to February, but once he arrived and trained, he quickly earned a spot in the starting lineup just like Joao Felix.
He was able to do this even though his paperwork was still being processed, as he trained for the first time on Thursday.
Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, after much effort to finalize the deal, attended Stamford Bridge to evaluate their investment.
Despite the team’s performance not being exceptional, they were likely impressed with the World Cup winner. On his debut, Fernandez played the full 90 minutes and may have already claimed the jersey as his own.
SportsDias evaluated the performance of the most expensive player in the Premier League in his debut game.
0-15 minutes
Early on in the game, Fernandez established himself as a strong presence in Chelsea’s midfield, alongside Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher who played in more advanced positions.
Despite a slow start, he soon made his presence known by intercepting the ball from Aleksandar Mitrovic and working well with Gallagher to win back the ball near their own box.
In the 10th minute, he demonstrated his aerial ability by confidently winning a header in his own box.
Despite being new to the team, he was given the challenging task of marking Mitrovic during corners. Fernandez was up to the challenge and was able to effectively patrol the edge of the 18-yard box, making it difficult for Mitrovic to battle back.
Later, he showed his timing and judgement by clearing the ball from Andreas Pereira’s feet.
15-30
As the game progressed, Chelsea’s build up play became more structured and Fernandez positioned himself between Silva and Badiashile to always be an option for the ball.
He showed his ability to collect the ball under pressure in his own box and play it on the turn to help the team escape. Fernandez also demonstrated his impressive passing skills by navigating tight spaces and making precise forward passes.
30-45
Fernandez continued to look comfortable in Chelsea’s midfield and showed his ability to link defense and midfield.
Although he made some inaccurate passes to the wings, this didn’t detract from his well-placed pass to Mason Mount that led to a good opportunity for Kai Havertz
He had an impressive first half, making more tackles (5) and winning possession (9 times) than any other player on the field, while also winning more duels (7) than any of the other 21 players.
45-60
In the second half, Fernandez displayed his ability to apply pressure on the opposition higher up the pitch. However, he was briefly beaten by Joao Palhinha who was one of Fulham’s better performers.
Fernandez showed his personality by going out of his way to acknowledge and high-five Reece James as he was substituted by Cesar Azpilicueta.
The two players had embraced each other before the start of the game, suggesting that they could be a potent combination in the future.
60-75
Fernandez continued to keep the ball moving in the center of the pitch, but a poor pass was intercepted leading to a chance for Mitrovic that was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Despite this, he remained a positive influence and encouraged his teammates.
As Fulham’s midfield of Andreas Pereira and Harrison Reed pulled away from his central position, it became a tougher task for Fernandez to cover the ground, but he still managed to do so effectively.
In the 72nd minute, he took his first shot from range, which was aimed to bring some energy back to Chelsea’s play, but it just missed the goal at the intersection of the post and crossbar.
75-90
Fernandez demonstrated his ability to maintain control of the ball even when under pressure from Harrison Reed, and was able to maintain possession for Chelsea even when options were limited.
Despite it being his debut, he showed confidence and authority in the match, taking control of the game in the closing minutes.
He repeatedly gained possession from his defense and midfield teammates and tried to release Ben Chilwell down the wing. He also won a header against Mitrovic to stop Fulham’s advance and showed his physicality when holding off Carlos Vinicius to clear the ball in stoppage time.
Verdict
Fernandez’s debut was highly impressive, he confidently took control of the match and was instrumental in helping Chelsea maintain their defensive stability.
He showed his defensive skills by making the most tackles and clearances among his team, while also displaying his passing ability with six accurate long balls.
He provided a solid presence in the midfield, which combined well with Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile. His physicality was also evident, as he held off opposition players and won headers.
Overall, it was a great first showing for Fernandez and bodes well for his future with Chelsea.
What Enzo Fernandez did to Aleksandar Mitrovic to begin justifying Chelsea’s £106.7 million investment
